Bouncy Rubber Egg Experiment

Turn a regular raw egg into a squishy, translucent bouncy egg by dissolving its shell. You will learn how the acid in vinegar reacts with the calcium carbonate in the eggshell to create carbon dioxide gas.

Tools

• spoon (1)
• flashlight (1, optional)

Materials

• raw chicken eggs (1-4)
• white vinegar (enough to cover eggs, approx. 2-4 cups)
• paper plate (1)

Safety

• Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw egg.
• Do not eat or drink any materials used in this project.
• Adult supervision required for children under 8.

Steps

1. Carefully place one raw egg into a glass or jar.
2. Pour white vinegar into the glass until the egg is completely covered.
3. Observe the egg immediately to see small bubbles forming; this is the carbon dioxide gas being produced by the chemical reaction.
4. Leave the egg to soak undisturbed for 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours, carefully remove the egg from the vinegar using a spoon.
6. Gently rub off any remaining white shell remnants and rinse the egg with a bit of vinegar or water.
7. Hold the egg up to a light or use a flashlight in a dim room to see the yolk inside the translucent egg.
8. Carefully drop the egg from a low height (about 30 cm) onto a plate to test its bounce.